Locks
NBA (1 Unit) Indiana Pacers -1.5 @ Milwaukee Bucks (-110; Odds via Caesars): 6:00 PM CT on TNT
I have a suspicion that the Pacers make short work of Milwaukee in this series, and it starts tonight. Indiana took 4 of the 5 regular season and mid-season tournament meetings, and the Bucks had Giannis Antetokounmpo for every game. Now with their star hurt, their other star Damian Lillard unhappy, and their coach a bit of a disaster, I wonder how much the Bucks want to be here. Indiana is certainly the younger and hungrier team, with an elite offense that a bad defensive team without their best defender is going to struggle against. Lower-seeded teams in Game 1 of a series that flip from underdog to favorite cover at an 83% clip, so I’m rolling with the Pacers here.
Bonus Bet (0.5 Unit) Indiana Pacers/Milwaukee Bucks 1st Half Over 114.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars)
In their five meetings this season, these teams have had some ridiculous first half explosions on offense. Those first halves averaged 125.0 points per game, with 114 as the floor. I know it’s the playoffs and there’s no Giannis, but these teams can still score and defense is neither’s favorite, so look to the over on this discounted number.
NBA Playoffs Player Props (Odds via DraftKings)
0.5 Unit – Jaime Jacquez Over 22.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)
0.5 Unit – Payton Pritchard Over 2.5 Assists (+125)
0.25 Unit – Caleb Martin Over 1.5 Made Three’s (+125)
0.25 Unit – Kevin Love Over 1.5 Made Three’s (+130)
0.25 Unit – Jaime Jaquez Over 1.5 Made Three’s (+145)
0.75 Unit – Luka Doncic Under 52.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)
0.75 Unit – Paul George Under 34.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)
0.5 Unit – Malik Beasley Alt Points Over 9.5 (+120)
1 Unit – Jonas Valanciunas Over 22.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)
0.5 Unit – CJ McCollum Over 29.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)
0.25 Unit – Brandon Ingram Over 1.5 Made Three’s (+155)
0.25 Unit – Jonas Valanciunas Over 0.5 Made Three’s (+190)
Degenerates
No degenerates today.
Tiny Nick is 2214-2013 ATS (+96.4 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.
Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.